1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for reading out data recorded on a tape, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for reading out data recoded on a tape with a read head.
2. Background Information
A plurality of kinds of data in different formats may coexist on a tape medium, such as a magnetic tape. For example, a case where old data recorded on a tape medium is overwritten with new data but the old data still remains behind the new data corresponds to such a case. In such a case, when a request for reading out a specific kind of data from the plurality of kinds of data is made, the plurality of kinds of data has to be discriminated one another and only the specific kind of data has to be extracted.
A method for discriminating old data previously recorded on a tape medium and new data newly recorded on the tape medium from one another has already been proposed in the art. Therein, new data is recorded on a tape medium in association with a data freshness degree, which is information indicating freshness of the new data relative to the previously recorded old data.
However, a problem occurs if a position of a read head overlaps a position where a plurality of kinds of data are recorded at the time of reading out of a specific kind of data from a plurality of kinds of data of different formats with the read head. More specifically, a read error occurs frequently and back-hitching occurs, due to which it undesirably takes some time to read out the data.